Browsing by Author "Borbaruah, Niharika"
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ThesisItem Open Access AN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF FACTORS AND CONSTRAINTS OF PRODUCTION AND MARKETING OF MAJOR SPICES IN ASSAM(AAU, Jorhat, 2021) Borbaruah, Niharika; Barman, R.N.Spices are generally considered as high-value crops that can be included in the farm plan to generate additional revenue in addition to the staple food crops. The climatic condition of Assam is very much suitable to grow a variety of spice crops. The present study entitled “An Economic Analysis of Factors and Constraints of Production and Marketing of Major Spices in Assam” was conducted under two different agro climatic situations representing plain and hill zones. Two districts, Karbi Anglong, a hill district and Jorhat, a plain district were selected for the study. The study was designed to examine the trends in area, production and productivity of spices using the exponential form. Over years data pertaining for the period 2005-06 to 2019-20 on area, production and productivity for important spices were collected and analysed for growth rates. Cobb-Douglas Production Function and Multiple Linear Regression equations were used to examine the factors influencing production and marketing of spices, respectively. The study also examined the different marketing channels, price spread and marketing efficiency using various market concepts. Furthermore, the constraints in production and marketing in both the districts were studied separately based on growers' perceptions. The trends in area, production and productivity of ginger, turmeric, chilli, black pepper, coriander and garlic were examined for the state of Assam and both the districts. A positive and significant growth rates were found in area, production and productivity of ginger, turmeric and chilli in the state and both the districts. However, a negative trend was found in area and production of black pepper in Jorhat district. Coriander productivity in Assam was also found to be negative, which could be attributed to factors such as a lack of technological advancements and the use of high yielding varieties. Furthermore, a negative growth was found in garlic’s production and productivity in Karbi Anglong and area in Jorhat, respectively. The significant factors affecting production of ginger and turmeric in the hill district were operational land and human labor and while factors affecting ginger production in the plain district were operational land and seed rhizome. The significant factors affecting production of turmeric in the plain district were operational land, human labor and capital at disposal. However, credit use had a significant and negative effect on production. Operational land and human labor had a positive and significant effect on chilli production while use of plant protection chemicals had a negative effect. Production kept for home consumption and seed rhizome had a significant and negative impact on marketable surplus in all the crops of the regions. However, in case of turmeric in the hill district, selling price had a significant positive impact on marketable surplus. Furthermore, post-harvest cost of turmeric in the plain district had a significant negative impact on marketable surplus. The study of marketing of spices revealed that the different marketing channels of ginger in the hill district include: Producer → Local/Itinerant Trader → Wholesaler → Retailer → Consumer and Producer (through Growers Cooperatives) → Wholesaler → Distant Market, while the different marketing channels of ginger in the plain district include: Producer → Wholesaler → Retailer → Consumer and Producer → Retailer → Consumer. The different marketing channels of dried turmeric in the hill district include: Producer → Wholesaler-cum-Processor → Retailer → Consumer and Producer (through Growers Cooperatives) → Wholesaler-cum- Processor → Distant Market while the different marketing channels of dried turmeric in the plain district include: Producer → Wholesaler-cum-Processor → Retailer → Consumer and Producer → Retailer-cum-Processor → Consumer. The different marketing channels of chilli include: Producer →Retailer → Consumer and Producer → Wholesaler → Retailer → Consumer. Also, the different marketing channels of black pepper include: Producer → Retailer → Consumer and Producer→ Local Trader → Wholesaler → Distant Market. Marketing efficiency of 9.75 (only up to wholesale level) was found in channel II of ginger in hill district and Channel II (7.91) in plain district was found to be more efficient. In case of dried turmeric, marketing efficiency of 14.66 (only up to wholesale level) was found in channel II in hill district and Channel II (9.22) in plain district was found to be more efficient. Channel I was found to be more efficient in case of chilli (3.36) and black pepper (3.19), respectively. The major constraints that affected production and marketing of ginger and turmeric in the hills were low adoption of better and improved production practices and technology and presence of middlemen/ local traders respectively while the major constraints that affected production and marketing of ginger and turmeric in the plains were unfavourable weather conditions and poor market infrastructure respectively. The major constraint in the production of chilli and black pepper was high cost of cultivation while the major constraint pertaining to marketing of chilli and black pepper was low selling price in the local and distant market during the peak time.